The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-01-28


mined, the distributing point Of the
! Canadian fur traders on Lake Superior
fell within the American line. There
upon it became necessary for the Eng
lish to establish a new place upon their
own soil. They went forty-five miles to
the north, and upon magnificent site,
on the shores of Thunder Bay, Belong
ing to Lake Superior, founded Fort
| William.
This occurred in 1905, when, according
to Hubert Howe Bancroft's History Of
the Northwest Coast, the two rival
Canadian fur companies, the Northwest
and the x. Y, consolidated and entered
upon their career of unparalleled pros
perity. Fort William became the grand
depot for the interior posts. Here the
supplies from Montreal were stored and
distributed and here were collected the
furs from all directions to await ship
meIit to the east. An expedition from
Montreal to Fort William presented q
most interesting sight, The journey
was made by water with feet OF
canoes called a brigade. They started
from Lachine, village aboutnine miles
above Mont cal on the st. Lawrence, in
May when the rivers and lakes were
nearly free from ice. I'll
At cost of about $50 each the requ-
site number Of canoes were procured
say thirty, which then were divided into
three brigades each having its guide OF
pilot, who had to direct its course, take
! chafge of boat and property and attend
/ to all repairs. He was the commander
or admiral to which the voyagers stood
in the relationof common sailors.
Let US follow the travellers in their
westward progress. II is gay ,dashine
life. In which creature comforts were BY
no means forgotten, though it was the
boast of each, from the managing agent
of the fur company to the humblest
voyagers, that he was always ready to
emergency he could tramp forests, buffet
rapids, burrow in snow, carry burdens,
sleep hard'and eat dog.
In each boat are eight or ten men,
with their baggage, six hundred pounds
of biscuit, two hundred pounds of pork,
three bushels of peas, these as ship
stores, with sixty-ive packages of goods
as freight. The canoe further cerIies
two oilcloths :to cover the goods, sail
and sailing tackle, an axe, towing
| line, kettle for cooking purposes, a
spongefot,,bailing and some gum, bark
and Watape for repairs. To the inexper-
fenced observer these frail crafts.
crowded with men and goods weighed
down to within six inches above the
water-line, it seems that destruction is
inevitable as soon as wind and swift
current are encountered. But with
these expert boatmen loss of life or
property is rare, though accidents are
not iRfrequent. Two picked men, a
foreman and a sternsman, ever on the
alert, are placed at the bow and stern.
Those who simply ply the paddle are
called smiddlemen. A sail is hoisted
whenever the wind is favorable.
A prayer and VOW to st. Anne,
few confessions and cheap votive offer
ings and the voyager is ready. Then
adieu for time TO civilization and dis
sipation, to family and church. The
white mistress must now give place to
the brown, the vault of the cathedral
to the open arc of Gods temple.
Soon the rapids of St Anne are
reached, where part of the cargo must
be unladen and carried over the port
age. ether portages follow in frequent
succession requiring laborious WORK. but
not proving annoyances TO the boat
men, because looked upon by them as
matter of course. On these occasions
the voyagers vie with each other in dis
play OF strength and CELEBRITY. The
advantages of having all goods put up
In packages of ninety pounds was estab-
!Ished By long experience. The usual
load Tor one man is two packages, or if
the track is rugged, only one package,
though some ambitious beatmen will
sometimes carry three on good ground.
These are thrown upon the back and
supported by sings suspended from the
head. The cRrgoes are thus carried TO
some point above the fall or rapid and
to the same place the canoes are either |
towed by strong line or carried on the
shoulders or the men. So expert have |
these men become by long practice that |
portages are made in an incredible short |
time, sometimes as many as twenty in |
a single day. The length of portages |
vary greatly, from about sixty yards to |
six miles and even twice or thrice that |
distance, when crossings have to be |
made from oae stream to another. The
tract OF the whole transport extended
over from three to four thousand miles,
through sixty large lakes and numerous
rivers with over two hundred falls and
rapids.
In passing a cross erected over
grave, OF whick there are many on the
main routes, the men solemnly remove
heir hats and repeat short prayer.
Like sailors they haye their lines.
passing which clerk or eomraGe must
reat or submit to a ducking Heavy
hearts and weeping eyes were all left at
home, the wild solitUdes echo only
aughter and loud delight. Step by
tep the picturesque waterfalls are sur
mounted, and the transparent streams,
'lacld lakes and wild untenanted shores
.9me and go as beautiful panorama.
hunters are sent out and bring in fresh
neat: light canoe, padded by twelve
lcEed men gorgeously arrayed and
triking in exact time. shoots past, car
ying a director clothed in rich furs,
chg 70 the grand council presently to
e held az the fort.
Portage after portage has deem left
ehiud. bearing such names as Portage
es CHATS, DechaFge de Sable. Mountain
'ortage and others; now they enter
nd travel Nipisring Lake and Lake !
iuron and their sweep into LAKE.
uperios andlohward 70 Thunder Bav,